Thailand – 5 Things you didn’t know

1.  I don’t care that you made me wet, it doesn’t mean that I like you touching me.

During the water play of Songkran celebrations, if a man touches another man’s wife in a manner that she deemed to be offensive, the aggrieved lady can report that man to the Police.  The offender will then be instructed by the Police to pay financial compensation to the lady for her embarrassment.

I would suggest that this is more applicable for village (rural) life where everyone knows everyone.  In this instance, it’s probably much the same as what could happen at an office Christmas party in a Western country.  All year you’ve been secretly admiring (lusting after) a girl in your office and once you’ve had a couple of drinks at the Christmas party, well you make your move.

But seriously, unwelcome sexual advances in Thailand are highly inappropriate and viewed very humorlessly.  The Tourist and Bar areas of Thailand are NOT the real Thailand.  So I’m happy that the poor drunk fool who paws at another man’s wife gets fined for his stupidity.

2.  I just want to use the toilet.

When I go to a public toilet, I just want to stand there, do my business and then leave.  Oh sorry, wash my hands and then leave.

But in the Pubs in Thailand, if you standing at the urinal and well, urinating.  A Thai man, the bathroom attendant, will come up behind you and start massaging your shoulders.  What the……  Yes, it’s true.

I was so shocked the first time it happened to me.  I raised my hand, turned my head and said NO.  He must have understood because he stopped straight away.  Hahaha

For the rest of the night I made sure that I headed for the safety of the cubicle each time I needed to wee.

But Thais can take it very seriously, once you finish, the bathroom attendant assists you in washing / drying your hands and he then waits for a tip.  Normally 20 baht.  But could be more depending on how rich or how drunk you are.

There was even an occasion when two Thai men had been standing alongside each other at the urinals and had received the same service from the attendant.  One guy paid 40 baht, while the other only paid 20 baht.  The guy that only paid 20 baht, in his police report, stated that the man who paid more had embarrassed him and made him feel cheap and that’s why he stabbed him in the neck with a broken bottle.  Truth is stranger than fiction.

3.  You haven’t been to University and you have a tan, so you’re not as good as me

Thailand is an amazingly beautiful country and the people are perceived as being kind and gentle.  But it’s not perfect.  The way in which many Thais view each other based on skin colour or their role in society is neither kind nor gentle.

You can’t walk into a 711, chemist/pharmacy or a supermarket without seeing multiple products for sale that proclaim to “whiten” your skin.  Thais determine a person’s attractiveness by how white their skin is.  Before I married Ta and I was chatting to other Thai girls and I was shocked at the number of girls that actually apologized for not being “white skin”.  Many Thai men actually prefer Japanese or Korean girls because their skin is lighter.

In Australia, I was embarrassed to remove my shirt in public because I’m so white.  It’s seen as not being healthy if your skin doesn’t have some colour.  So I guess Thailand is the country for me.

There is also a vast chasm between the rich and the poor in Thailand.  This applies to the perceived difference between working class and university educated Thais as well.

There was a call at one stage for university educated Thais to have 3 votes during government elections, while everyone else could only place one vote.  There were claims being made that the huge number of uneducated people had very little understanding of what would be good for the country and therefore couldn’t be trusted to vote intelligently.  OMG!!!

4.  Where are the Knives?

Thais never use a knife once they have sat down to eat their meal.  Of course they use knives in the preparation of meals, but that’s where it ends.  In an average Thai restaurant you will generally only be offered a spoon and fork or chopsticks, which they only use when eating noodles.

I actually brought a set of cutlery with me when I moved from Australia.  Strange, but I wanted some things to feel normal for me in case I got home sick.  When I opened the box, my wife said WOW I’ve never owned knives like that.

If a Thai needs to spread something like jam, they will use the back of a spoon.

5.  Are you sure that guy is Thai?

You may think that Thailand is a poor country and yes, when compared to many Western countries it is.  But the countries bordering Thailand are even poorer.

Don’t be surprised to see many of the “labour” jobs being performed by workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.  These workers are paid minimum wages, however many of them are provided group housing by their employers and are also transported to and from their place of work.  You can often see five to ten or sometimes more people in the back of a truck our minibus at the beginning and end of the day around Bangkok.

I hope that you found this information interesting.  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPT43WW03XSalWXyWY3iuEg

Take care

Brad & Ta

Thai Girlfriend Communication - What you need to Know

Regardless of whether you speak English, German, Italian or even basic Thai, if you’re not a native Thai, you won’t understand the subtle nuisances of Thai communication.

Here are my Top 5 points to keep front of mind when interacting with Thai people.

1.   Laughter

Thailand is famously known as the Land of Smiles, but it’s also the land of laughter.  A Thai person will inexplicably smile and laugh when they don’t understand you, when they’re uncomfortable or when they just don’t know what to say.  In most situations, their first instinct is to laugh and smile.

Even if the Thai person has a good level of English, by nature they will quite often still fall back on using smiles and laughter during conversation.  Really, did you honestly think you were that funny during your date!!!

Not so long ago, I had to fly back to Australia for my Mum’s funeral.  Our neighbour saw that I was waiting outside the house with a bag and my wife explained to her why I was leaving.  The neighbour looked at me, laughed and smiled and then gave me hand respect.  I thought to myself, what the hell, why is she laughing!!!  But I had to remember, that’s just what Thais do.

So, don’t think too much and just look past the smiles and more importantly, look past the laughter.  They’re not laughing at you or your situation, they’re just laughing because that’s what they do.

2.  Honesty

A Thai will not tell you the truth if they believe that the truth will hurt your feelings or cause either of you embarrassment.

When I first started dating Thai girls, both in Australia and in Thailand, our communication could become strained very easily due to my trust issues.  I hold honesty and trust in the highest regard; but Thais have a slightly different moral compass and will quite often tell “white lies” in any given situation.  So I therefore had difficulty in my earlier relationships when I would uncover these “white lies”.

I have since learned at a lot about interacting with Thai people and in so doing, learned a lot about myself.  Unless you are talking about Thai girls that have been hurt and deceived by Western men, most Thais don’t want to cause harm by telling “white lies”, they are simply trying to protect your feelings, not cause embarrassment or to use the lie to help the process of simply going with the flow.  Mai Pen Rai

Your average Thai would never openly criticize a bad meal at a restaurant or even complain that they didn’t receive what they had ordered.  They would just not be honest about the situation to avoid causing a scene or embarrassment.

By the way, thousands of Thai girls come to Australia each year to earn money, sorry I mean to find a husband, no sorry, I mean to study.  Yes, that’s right, to study.  So if an Aussie wants to meet a Thai girl, he doesn’t have to travel all the way to Thailand to do it.  I’m guessing that this is probably the same in many English speaking countries.

Please use the comments section to tell me if this is the same where you live.

3.  Eye contact

I often ask my wife this question – “How can you be listening to me if you’re not looking at me?”

She could be doing any number of things; playing with the dog, looking at her phone or even just staring at a tree, anything but looking at me.  However, she assures me that I have her undivided attention and that she’s hanging on my every word.  Mai pen rai

Sometimes I will ask her to tell me what I’ve said and most times yes, she has been listening.  On the odd occasion when she can’t, she’ll blame her bad English.  Women, you can’t win…..

In most western countries, it’s important to make eye contact with a person during conversation.  In Thai, not so much.  A Thai would be happy having a conversation with you without needing to look at you even once.  Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but often it’s verging on that point.

Thai women often post comments on the Thai webboard / forum, Pantip, complaining about how they keep getting into trouble from their farang boyfriend for not looking at him when he’s talking.

Perhaps we farang men should get over ourselves and not sweat the little things, what we’re saying probably isn’t that earth shattering anyway.

4.  I know what you want, I don’t need to ask you!

Thais have a tendency of thinking that they know what you want or need without having to ask you.  Or is that just women in general…

My experience tells me that most Thai’s are like this, but I’m not 100% sure if it’s cultural or just due to a potential language barrier.  Your average Thai doesn’t tend to worry too much about the small stuff, so if in their mind something is not important, they won’t consult you before making a decision on your behalf.  Conversely, if your girlfriend / wife believes that an important decision is to be made, she will defer entirely to your “good” judgment.  Thai women allow men to be men.

I’ll ask my wife, “why are we doing this” or “what’s this I’m eating” and on most occasions she’ll answer, “it’s good for your health”.

How can I argue with that!

So shut up husband, I know what’s good for you (she would never actually say that, not out loud anyway).

5.  Up to You

Arai Kor Dai (Up to You / Whatever you Want) and Mai Pen Rai (That’s OK / No Problem)

You will often hear these phrases in Thailand, they are not used out of habit, your average Thai is genuinely happy to just go with the flow or to put themselves out for someone that they love.

It’s not that they don’t care, but they don’t like conflict and they certainly don’t like embarrassing themselves and other people.  They will even inconvenience themselves so that they don’t inconvenience others.

I had a situation recently where there was a truck parked outside a shop and the driver was walking to and from the truck with his delivery.  My wife wanted to get off the footpath and walk around the truck so that she didn’t inconvenience the delivery man.

 I said

“So you’re happy to walk in the traffic, where there is the potential for you to be hit by a car, just so you don’t interrupt the delivery man?”

She said

“Yes”

I said

“Mental.  We’re walking this way.  Stay on the footpath.”  Hahaha

By the way, the general rule of “Up to You” is somewhat reversed when you start to talk about the roads in Thailand.  Thai drivers can be extremely selfish and most have formed very bad habits when driving.  My wife is always saying to me “let him go, don’t worry about him”, after I have just been cut off or someone is doing a U-turn from the middle lane.

I guess it’s only the people who are on the receiving end of bad driving who say Arai Kor Dai and Mai Pen Rai.  It can be so dangerous to push an issue on the roads here.  People have been shot and killed for simply using their car horn in Thailand.  But that’s a story for another time.

I hope that you found my little chat interesting.  I would love to hear from you and read your comments.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPT43WW03XSalWXyWY3iuEg

Take care

Brad & Ta

Songkran 2017 1 Farang and 5,000 Thai - Best way to Play Water

I love the area in which I live.  It’s filled with wonderfully kind and generous working class Thais.  Free from the issues that plague the tourist areas of Thailand.  The very few foreigners who live around here are respectful of Thai culture and the Thais are only trying to earn an honest dollar.

In 2 nights of Songkran celebrations, the only white face I saw was the one staring back at me as I was taking a selfie (we were only 30km from the centre of Bangkok).  But I’m happy with that.  I can’t see the point of moving to another country if you’re not going to live like a local.  The food, the culture and the experience of Thailand.  You must embrace it all.

We spent about 3 hours each night playing water on Prakesa Road in the Province of Samut Prakan.  This place goes off.  I’m pleased to say that  we didn't see any accidents or any violence.  Just thousands of very happy and friendly people doing what Thais love to do most, PARTY.

The locals were extremely accepting of me, even to the point where I sometimes felt like a rockstar with the amount of attention I was getting.  Crazy.

Before I moved to Thailand, I never even dreamed that girls (& some men) would line up to have their photo taken with me.  I’m still shocked at how often it happens, even when no alcohol is involved.  Ta, my extremely patient and understanding wife, was happy to be the camera person as girls lined up to have their photo taken with me.  Life can be so tough.  Why would you play Songkran surrounded by all the foreign tourists and Expats when you can celebrate like this!

Also wanting to highlight the fact that the girls aren’t prostitutes either, they don’t want anything from me and they’re respectful of the fact that I have a Thai partner.  All they want to do is celebrate Songkran, share their happiness and have fun with the only farang that had come along to play.

The people here don’t have a lot, but they will generously share what little they do have.  I couldn’t walk 100 metres without someone wanting to share their beer or whiskey.  Plus so many people just offering a simple smile or water for our gun, everyone was just genuinely excited to spend time with a farang.

Could you even imagine offering for a complete stranger to drink from your glass where you live?

Yes, it is a fantasy world, but it’s a wholesome fantasy world.  My life here is free from bars and

everything that can so quickly seduce a man and drain his bank account in Thailand.

You don't need bars to see sexy girls in Thailand, they're everywhere.

Even the local Police were friendly.  I shook hands with one cop and the hand shake lasted so long that it started to feel more like we were holding hands, which I wasn’t comfortable with, but I guess it was nice for him to want to do that.

Being a police officer in any country is a difficult and thankless job, but try being a cop in Thailand during Songkran!!!!  No thank you.  The entire population just wants to play water and have fun.  As a Police Officer, how do you control that?  Well really, you can't.....  Police here just try to ensure that the start of each afternoons water play begins safely and then they come back later and make sure that everyone goes home safely.

Really, if you want to live in Thai or simply thinking of coming for a holiday, please make sure that you come to experience the real Thailand.  Don’t just go to Phuket, Chaing Mai or Pattaya. Those places are so full of foreigners, that it’s not a true reflection of Thai life.   You're doing yourself a serious injustice if you just stick to the well worn tourist paths.

I hope that you found my little chat interesting.  I would love to hear from you by reading your comments.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/

Oh, if you’re thinking to yourself that this guy is full of crap, things like that don’t happen…  Well, I have 4 video’s showing everything, go and check it out for yourself.  Just make sure that you can hide your jealousy well.

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPT43WW03XSalWXyWY3iuEg

Take care

Brad & Ta

BEST Currency Exchange Bangkok Thailand SUPERRICH Exchange Rates WOW!!!

For the BEST exchange rates in Bangkok, you need to travel to SUPERRICH Money Exchange.

SUPERRICH is only a short walk from Central World shopping centre, a walk that could potentially save you thousands of baht.

Particularly if you are bringing over money for your Pension or Marriage Visa.  Or, if you are preparing money to pay Sin Sod.

There are 2 stores, the green SUPERRICH and the orange SUPERRICH and they're located adjacent to each other.

Remember, you must visit the HO outlets near Central World.  The best rates aren't applicable at the satellite stores in Shopping centres / malls or at a BTS.

Please allow yourself a little extra time for the transaction, because these stores are constantly full of Thai's exchanging money prior to heading overseas.

A smart Thai in Bangkok wouldn't exchange money anywhere else.

Make sure that you download the apps prior to finalising your plans.

I hope that you found this information useful.

Please put and questions that you might have in the comments section below.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/

YouTube – video showing you the way to the Superrich stores
https://youtu.be/N7VnVtqz1xg

Take care

Brad & Ta

Aquarium Fish Market WORLD'S LARGEST Bangkok Amazing Thailand

The Chatuchak Market, or JJ Market to help the foreigners that can't pronounce Chatuchak, is situated very close to BTS Mo Chit.  Which by the way, is the most popular and convenient way of getting there.  Make sure that you have your camera ready to capture every amazing sight.

The World's largest weekend market, the sheer numbers and varying sizes of fish is simply staggering.  In my video, I've tried to give you a good cross section of the many different varieties for sale at the market.  You will see Koi, Stingrays, Cichlids, Marine Fish, Tropical Fish, Goldfish, Planted Tanks, Betta Fighting Fish, Flower Horns, Asian Arowanas, Arapaimas.  The list goes on and on.

The sellers clearly love their fish and were proud to have me video in the many different shops within the market.



Not only selling fish, they also have everything for the complete novice to get started.  Including Tanks, Filters, Pumps, Food (live and commercial brands), Heaters, Drift Wood, Underwater Plants, Rocks, Coral, Sand, Stones, etc, etc, etc.

One fish was priced at 480,000 baht (US$13,940), I wonder if anyone can tell me which one they think it is!!!

If you plan on traversing the entire Chatuchak Market, please ensure that you have enough hours to spare and that you have ample amounts of patience.  The place gets pretty crowded with both Thai and foreign shoppers.



Should you need a break, there is a very nice park adjacent to the market, you can even rent mats to sit on for only 20 baht (US$0.60).

I hope that you found this information interesting.

Please put any questions that you might have in the comments section.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.


Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/
YouTube video tour of the Aquarium Market
https://youtu.be/f5Itt64Fc-8

Take care
Brad & Ta


Official Websites:
Chatuchak
http://www.chatuchakmarket.org/
BTS
https://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/main.aspx

Thai Fashion, Food & First Dates Terminal 21 Bangkok Shopping Thailand

Terminal 21 is the closest of the large shopping centre’s / malls to the “entertainment” district in Sukhumvit, Bangkok.  There are also a huge number of high quality hotels in this area, resulting in great numbers of tourists flocking to this district.

Spread over 6 levels, including a cinema at the top, each level is themed from a different city around the world.  There’s a double decker bus on the London level and a pair of Sumo’s on the level of Tokyo.  Even the bathrooms are a joy to visit, as the themes are extended there as well.

I have to admit, that Ta and I are most comfortable visiting and shopping at Terminal 21.  There are very few farang (foreigners) in our local area and so our presence can sometimes provide entertainment for the locals.  People unashamedly stare at us whenever we are out together.
They don’t mean anything by it; they’re just not used to seeing a mixed race couple out buying groceries together.

Shockingly, women stare at me more when I have a backpack with me.  Perhaps they’re thinking that if he’s only here for a holiday, maybe there’s a chance for me on his next visit.
hahaha

But Terminal 21 is different, farang / Thai couples are everywhere.  Some are on first dates; some are obviously married, while others, well let’s just say the relationship would seem to be more of a “financial” arrangement between the two.  ;-)

The centre / mall is well laid out and caters for everything from low to high end shopping.  I love the great quality and cheap prices for many of the t-shirts.

There is also a huge variety of Thai and international food to be had there.  The food court is always full of happy and smiling customers.

http://www.terminal21.co.th/asok/home/en

If you’re staying around Sukhumvit, I’d be surprised if you didn’t spend a certain amount of time there every day.

I hope that you found this information interesting.

Please put any questions that you might have in the comments section.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/
YouTube video tour of the shopping centre
https://youtu.be/KEqZpYUwkPc


Take care
Brad & Ta

Golf in Thailand The Masters and The Servants

Growing up in Australia, golf was fun and relatively affordable for people across all walks of life.
It’s one of the many, many reasons why people call Australia the lucky country.

But golf in Thailand is completely different.

If you’re an international visitor on holidays in Thailand, it’s incredibly fun.  Sunshine, well maintained courses, pretty and professional caddies, what else could you ask for!!!

For a Thai native, the game is seen as “HighSo” and only within reach of the middle to upper class.  Managers, Business Owners, Company Directors and their families, these are the people playing golf regularly in Thailand.

It's not uncommon to see professional drivers either standing beside their car or sleeping inside their car, waiting for the boss to finish their round of golf.  These drivers will be permanent employees of the golfers company, earning as little as 300 baht (US$8.70) per day.

From balls and gloves, to clubs, to membership, in Thailand it’s ALL expensive.

My wife can buy a dress at the local market for 60 baht (yes, she’s great at hunting down a bargain).  A USED golf ball at Thaniya Plaza will cost 40 baht.  If you're a Thai, which one are you going to buy?  (Assuming that you wear dresses or you know someone who does).  Used clubs that are up to 20 years old are still readily available to buy in Bangkok.

https://youtu.be/tRhisK8TBx0

Video tour of a 4 story shopping centre / mall in Bangkok, Thaniya Plaza, which is dedicated to the game of golf.

In Thai, you can buy a new motorbike for the same cost as a new set of Ping irons.

The law of supply and demand.  In a country where only 1,000,000 of the 75,000,000 residents play golf.  Things are going to be expensive.

I’ll break it down a bit further for you.  Let’s say that you’re a Thai golfer that already owns all the equipment.  18 holes at my local course (it’s a middle of the range course) will set you back a minimum of 1,800 baht (not including a golf cart).  Remembering; that caddies are compulsory for all who play.  The average income for an office worker, hotel front of house or even police officer is approximately 12,000 to 15,000 per month.  A single game of golf is therefore going to cost them at least 10-15% of their monthly income.

My local course, to their credit, has built "housing" for their employees and their families.  Ground staff, general maintenance staff, security staff, caddies, etc are living there.  However, the standard of the "housing" is of a very low standard.  Only 1 year after completion, they're already looking like old farm sheds of the side of the road.  A slum in the making.  Scary.....

This is the real reason why your caddie may be flirting with you.  You didn't really think it was because you were sooo irresistible!!!!
She wants a wealthy boyfriend, husband, benefactor.  She wants a better life than living in the shed along the side of the road can provide.  There's been numerous times that I've been out riding my bicycle and seen caddies leaving their home.  Their heads are down and they refuse to make eye contact.  However, if I saw them at golf, they'd be doing everything in their power to gain my attention.  It's sad......

I hope that you found this information interesting.

Please put any questions that you might have in the comments section below.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/
YouTube video tour around the golf course, including the staff accommodation
https://youtu.be/_2T59P9HKpA

Take care
Brad & Ta

Living like a Thai - My Village in Samut Prakan Thailand

The village / suburb / town where you live is sometimes more important than the actual home that you live in.  The people, your neighbours, the facilities and what's available in the area matching your interests.  That's what's important!!! My village has everything that I need to live well on a daily basis.

I never wanted to live in a high traffic foreign Tourist area of Thailand.  Like all countries, Thailand is not perfect and many of the social problems that exist in this country are heavily concentrated in the Tourist areas.

I live in Thailand; I want to live like a Thai.

We're close enough to Bangkok to enjoy everything that this wonderful city has to offer, but far enough away not to be consumed by the constant hustle and bustle.

Our village is situated about 40km from the heart of Bangkok and about 20km from Suvarnabhumi Airport.  Bangkok's International airport is actually located in Samut Prakan and not Bangkok, as most people would think.

There are just over 3,000 homes in the estate.

The village is the largest in the area.  Many businesses / shops are also located within the village.
Both a morning and night market exists to satisfy the needs of the community.  A whole range of cheap and delicious Thai food options are available.  People from the surrounding villages also come to shop here.

A monthly fee of 150 baht (US$4.30) is charged to cover the cost of garbage collection, community area garden maintenance, street sweeping and security guards.

Very few western foreigners live here on a permanent basis.  My estimate is only 4 males, of which, I am the youngest.  The majority of the population is Thai; however immigrant workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia also live here.  Very little English is spoken.

The village was created about 10 years ago.  The land was formerly mostly made up of fish farms.  A huge lake still takes pride of place in the centre of the development.

There are 3 types of dwellings in the village.
1. A single house.  A large house on a single block of land. Value estimated to be between 8 - 10 million baht (US$230,000 - US$290,000).
2. Town homes.  A town house in a row of town houses.  Share external connecting walls. Tiny rear courtyard.  However, virtually all courtyards have been replaced by a structure to house a kitchen.  Value estimated to be between 1.2 - 1.5 million baht (US$35,000 - US$44,000).
3. Twin homes.  2 town houses on a single block of land. The size and layout of the twin home is the same as the town home, but they have more land on one side of the property.  Value estimated to be between 2.3 - 2.6 million baht (US$66,000 - US$75,000).

All homes are 2 storey dwellings.

There is also a golf course, swimming pools, gym and table tennis / bad-mitten courts located directly behind the village.  These facilities are easily accessible by motorbike, bicycle or just walking.  There is no direct access from the village for cars.

A BTS (sky train) extension is currently being constructed and will be located about 14km from the village.  This will give far more direct access to Bangkok.  At the moment, the public transport options to reach Bangkok are minibus to the bus stop, then bus directly to Bangkok or bus to the nearly BTS.

The region is set to flourish.

As the direct transport links (BTS) to Bangkok come on line, more affluent residents will move into the area, both Thai and Expat.  Several new villages and Condominium complexes are already under construction.  A Ferry Terminal is also to be build, with planned ferry routes of Pattaya - Hua Hin - Pranburi, Bangpoo (Samut Prakan) - Hua Hin - Pranburi and Bangpoo - Pattaya.  Cars will also be transportable on these ferries.

A large and modern shopping centre complex and cinema is located about 12km away.  However, very few English speaking movie sessions are offered.

The houses are manufactured, for the most part, from preformed concrete.  A very standard way of building houses in Thailand.

I love our home and I love the village in which we live.  The people are warm and friendly and I have been made to feel very much part of the community.

We have two temples within 5 minutes drive and the Monks can be seem walking our streets every morning.

Places of Interest:
http://www.bangpoogolf.com/home/
http://www.ancientcitygroup.net/
http://www.worldcrocodile.com/about.html

Shopping:
https://www.robinson.co.th/
https://www.tescolotus.com/home
http://www.bigc.co.th/?___store=en&___from_store=th

Village Aerial:
https://map.longdo.com/p/A00320532/info/iphone?locale=en

BTS:
https://www.bts.co.th/index_CoverPage.html

I hope that you found this information interesting.

Please put any questions that you might have in the comments section below.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/
YouTube for a video tour of the village
https://youtu.be/hhDQVRmhRlQ

Take care
Brad & Ta

Thai Meat Seafood Chicken Bangkok Market Supermarket and High End Street Food Shopping

When searching for raw Meat, Seafood, Chicken or even frog in Bangkok, you have 3 main options.

1.  Local Thai Market

The Thai market is the scariest option for your average western shopper.  The sight of meat and
seafood laying spread out on a table can be quite confronting.

This is generally the first option for Thais.  They will head for their local fresh food market if they have one that is close by.  The market caters for the tastes of the local community.  The meats, and vegetables for that matter, are always fresh and cheap.

Refrigeration is very rarely utilized in these markets.  All goods for sale are kept cool by ice and water only.  The market is mostly under a roof line, however some smaller sellers can have their wares completely open and exposed to the elements.

2.  Supermarket

The 2nd option, Supermarket, is quite often the most convenience for Bangkok shoppers.  The 2 major players are BigC and Tesco Lotus.

There are 2 others players in the market.  Top Market, which has more foreign brands and deals solely in groceries and laundry items.  Makro, a supermarket which offers greater deals for bulk purchases and is a cash only business.

Not only can you get your fresh meat and vegetables, you can also pick up virtually any other household item that you may need, including electrical & white goods at these stores.

Shopping for meat here is a very hands on experience and can be a little daunting your first couple of times around.  The majority of the meat is purchased using a "self serve" process.  Select your meat or fish, get it weighed and then head to the checkout.

Oddly, you can often run into the staff sitting on the floor when the Managers decide to hold a meeting.

3.  High End Supermarket

Only wealthy Thais, Expats and tourists will shop at one of the high end supermarkets.  Ta, my wife, has never shopped at one of these stores.

The stores cater for international tastes and stock well known brands from around the World.

What appears to be the highest quality Meat, Seafood and Poultry (frog not available) can be purchased here.

If you're a lover of lamb, shopping at one of these stores in Bangkok will be your only option.

I hope that you found this information useful.

Please put and questions that you might have in the comments section below.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/

YouTube – Video tour of the Shopping

https://youtu.be/lRrNo64LPkI

Take care

Brad & Ta

Sin Sod in Thailand - Buying a Thai Wife or just Fueling the Economy

Let me start by saying, that the only man that likes Sin Sod is the father of the bride.  Regardless of
whether you are Thai or a foreigner, no man likes to think that he has to buy a wife.  Sin Sod is a constant source of debate on Pantip.com, the well respected Thai webboard, with many Thai men complaining about the amount parents want for Sin Sod or even, why they have to pay Sin Sod at all.

My Top 3 Tips

1. You can’t avoid paying.

Don’t think that you won’t have to pay.

Even if your blushing bride has been married 3 times before, you will still be asked for Sin Sod.  The past is the past and the family will still be looking to enjoy a secure future.

Rightly or wrongly, society, not just Thai society, generally expects that the man will take care of his wife and family financially.

In Thai, “family” includes parents and can also be extended to relatives in financial hardship.

The greatest expectation for support of the parents falls to the Thai daughter.  Although many Thai men do support their parents, society doesn’t view them as harshly if they don’t.

Thai’s also believe, that a man’s ability to pay Sin Sod confirms his ability to take care of his wife and any children that they may have.

But it’s not only part of the culture, it’s part of the economy.

My mother-in-law is 68 and her monthly pension is a mere 600 baht.  This only increases to 700 baht when she turns 70.  Can you imagine actually living on under US$20 a month?

The economy is geared to adult children taking care of their parents.  The majority of the population escapes paying income tax, anyone that sells food on the street or in a market for example, doesn’t pay tax.  Imagine a scenario where there are 10 people working in administrative or customer service roles within an office and only the Supervisor pays tax.  Everyone else falling under the tax free threshold of 26,000 baht per month.  This is true in Thai.

The government simply doesn’t have the available funds for pensions.

At the end of the day, don’t think about it like you are buying a wife.  Think of it as you are contributing to the lives of a nurturing and supportive family.

2.  There is no set amount that you must pay for Sin Sod.

The amount of Sin Sod you pay is solely dependent on 2 things, the expectations of the girl’s parents and your ability to pay.

At a minimum, you can expect to pay 100,000 baht cash and 20,000 baht in gold.  It can however, rise steeply from there when parents start talking about cars and houses.

The problem is that in many cases, as soon as the parents here the word farang, they will automatically double what they previously thought they would get for Sin Sod.

Always remember, everything is negotiable.

Traditionally for a Thai marriage, both sets of parents would meet to discuss what was an appropriate amount of Sin Sod.

Obviously, the grooms parents don’t want to pay too much, but they also don’t want to be embarrassed by offering too little.

It’s not uncommon for 2 mothers to be heard crowing about how much Sin Sod they received when their daughters married.  Parents don’t like to think that their daughter’s marriage is worth less Sin Sod than someone else’s.  Especially if they marry a foreigner.

To help your new in-laws not to lose face, one option is to give them a heap of cash and gold, just for the wedding party and photos.  Oh, you will also be required to cover all the wedding costs.  Then after the wedding, they only keep an agreed amount and the rest is returned to you.

Although they wouldn’t admit to it, many Thai’s apply this scenario.

If the parents are good people and the girl loves you truly, they won’t leave you penniless.

3.  Follow your Gut

The most important piece of advice that I can give you is to make sure that you feel comfortable with everything that is happening.

People get married for many different reasons and your reasons are solely your own.

But when you start talking about marrying someone form a different country, who will potentially still live in a different country.  It can get complicated.

Foreigners can’t own land in Thai, so the house that you buy for your married life will never be yours.  Something to think about.

Thai girls don’t just marry for money and to be taken care of.

Of course there are some girls like that; there are girls with that mentality in every country and across every culture.

The motives of some foreign men are not always pure either.

Always be honest.

There are many things that Thai’s won’t openly discuss and this can be made even harder if you both don’t speak each other’s language well.

Thai’s believe that if a truth is hurtful to someone’s feelings, they won’t share that truth.

If you’re in love with a Thai girl and you’re continually honest with each other, be confident in knowing that regardless of how much Sin Sod you pay at the start of the marriage, this amount will be returned to you tenfold in terms of a lifetime of devotion.

I have been married to an amazing Thai girl for a couple of years now and I have never been happier.

Word on the street is that the government will be passing a law which will earn them 5% revenue on all Sin Sod 10,000,000 baht and above.  I guess that you can use this fact in your negotiations if God forbid, your Sin Sod ever reached that height.

I hope that you have found this information useful.

Please put any questions that you might have in the comments section below.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPT43WW03XSalWXyWY3iuEg

Take care

Brad & Ta

Thai girlfriend questions you must ask to find a good girl

Hi, I’m Brad from Our Life Thai.

I’m living in Thailand, about 40km from the Bangkok financial district and have been married to a wonderful Thai girl for nearly 2 years.  It was an exhausting process trying to find the best Thai girl for me, with numerous trips back and forward from Australia to Thailand.  I had dated several Thai girls, both in Thailand and in Australia and have chat to literally hundreds on dating websites and on the chat app LINE before I finally found my amazing wife.

These questions are not in any particular order and should be asked before you actually come to Thailand to meet your special lady.  All my questions are based on you looking for a good Thai girl who upholds traditional Thai culture and values.

And by the way, if you intend to get a Thai girlfriend just for your holiday, use her for sex and a free travel guide.  DON’T.  You’re a cheap bastard and you don’t have any respect for women.

But if you still have your tiny heart set on doing this, BE HONEST, say this in your online profile and tell the girls that you chat to what you really want.  There is always someone for everyone in life.

My main point - DON’T be a cheap bastard.

Please keep all your communication to Thai girls polite.  Remember, you’re chatting to people who for the most part are genuinely looking for love, please have respect:

1.  Do you want to stay in Thailand or are you happy to live in another country?

This question is great for two reasons, it shows the girl that you are looking to the future and are therefore serious, and it also helps you know her mind as well.  Her response can tell you a lot about her.

* I want to stay in Thailand – She needs to stay close to her family, she has a career that she enjoys or she is not confident about the wider world.  The average Thais schooling doesn’t extend much past the borders of Thailand.

* Up to my man – as long as she is being taken care of she will do whatever is required.

* I want to live another country – Either she is confident and has a sense of adventure or she desperately wants to escape the life that she has now.

2.  What’s your job?

An obvious question, but a very important one.

A Thai girl that works in a bank, an office, as a nurse or as a teacher is less likely to have had casual sexual encounters with foreigners.

A girl that works in a tourist area as front of house in a hotel, massage palour or at a bar (obviously) are normally very actively looking for a foreign boyfriend.  Many of these girls that you date in (not pay for) in tourist areas will not insist on you using a condom and if they’re not making you wear one, they’re not making anyone else wear one.  Think about it.  Always stay safe.

If a girl tells you that she is unemployed or that she has stopped work to travel.

Alarm bells.

There is no form of unemployment benefit paid in Thai and so they must be getting money from somewhere.  It is also impossible for the average Thai girl to travel without having a job to fund that travel.  Her job may well be as a “holiday girlfriend” and to travel with one man after another.

FYI, an office worker will only get 12 days annual leave per year, plus 13 government mandated Public Holidays.  Government employees get even more public holidays. J

3.  Tell me about your family?

Family is very important to virtually all Thai girls.

Again, this question shows her that you are serious and allows you to determine the size of her family and her / your financial liability to care for that family.

Do the parents work!  How old are the parents!

Thai men can support their extended family financially, but society places very little obligation on them to do so.  But if a girl doesn’t take care of her parents, she is looked at in a very poor light.

4.  Have you had a boyfriend farang before?

Allows you to determine how open the girl is.  It is extremely common for Thai people to shield the truth if they feel that the truth is going to offend or to hurt a person, including themselves.  If the girl gets defensive or is offended by this question, ask further questions to find out why or simply move on to your next potential love match.

This question can also let you know how experienced the girl is with other cultures.  You are not just accepting her culture, she must embrace yours as well.

Also, ask her how many farang boyfriends she has had.

If she answers, no I’ve never had a boyfriend farang.

Don’t be shy to politely ask her if she has had sex with a farang before.

I’ve had many girls tell me that they have never had a foreign boyfriend, but they have gone on to tell me that they have had sex with up to 10 different foreign men.  It’s common for Thai girls to think that farang love sex and so they often use sex to try to make a man love them.

5. Send me your photos sexy!

Yes, it’s a rude question.  But you’re asking it to find out if she’s a good girl or not.

You must ask this question before you build any sort of connection with the girl.  If you ask after you have formed a connection, she will probably send because she trusts you and cares about you.

If she too readily agrees to send photos to you, remember, those same photos will be sitting on the PC’s of many other men.

A good Thai girl will send you a sexy photo in which she is fully clothed, she won’t even send you a bikini photo.

A good, but adventurous girl, will make sexy photos for you and send to you after you have built a strong connection and she trusts you implicitly.

Conversely, bad girl will have a selection of photos at the ready to send out upon receiving each request.

I hope that you have found this information useful.

Please put any questions that you might have in the comments section below.  I will do my best to answer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back here again very soon.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/OurLifeThai/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPT43WW03XSalWXyWY3iuEg

Take care

Brad & Ta